Just as holiness leads to a closer walk with Jesus, and a heart that strives for pleasing God in every way, the opposite is also true. It’s good for us to reflect on these things in our time of meditation because it helps us to examine our lives and our state of obedience to God. David did just that in our focal Scripture verses today. His ancestors chose to join with the nations they were told to attach and destroy. In joining these wicked nations, they quickly joined in on their bad habits, and became unfaithful to God. As you meditate with me, allow God to open your spiritual eyes and help you clearly see your level of faithfulness to Him.

DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2022-08-17
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BY: Ed Algreen 

SCRIPTURE FROM: Psalm 106:34-37; 39;
TRANSLATION: New Century Version (NCV)

BIBLE TEXT: 34 The people did not destroy the other nations as the Lord had told them to do. 35 Instead, they mixed with the other nations and learned their customs. 36 They worshiped other nations’ idols and were trapped by them. 37 They even killed their sons and daughters….  39 The people became unholy by their sins; they were unfaithful to God in what they did.

APPLICATION: Of course, you are holy, faithful, and true to your Master, right? I believe that’s always the answer many, who claim Jesus as Lord, will give. But do you suppose you will continue with that answer if you had a few moments to consult with God and give Him the freedom to open the eyes of your soul? Most of us are probably just alike, in the way we despised our parents for not letting us hang out with the ‘cool’ bunch on Saturday night or staying out after midnight with the young guys who owned cars – fast, cool, cars! Then we became parents, and we had many of the same fears that our parents had. You see, we remembered our best friend who lost his girlfriend when his car flipped at 1:30am on a Sunday morning and she got killed. We couldn’t dare to think of hearing such news about our little girl. But, today we want to think more directly about how our Christian walk might survive if, and when, challenged. It seems like the most common challenge is when we disobey God in much the same way kids disobeyed the warnings or commands of their parents. Think about when a Christian young man marries an unbeliever, even after warnings from Bible teachings and from his Christian parents. Of course, the young man feels like he will marry her to be a good witness to her and win her to the Lord. After all, he is convinced that ‘love’ is all that matters in that very moment of affection! However, in a huge percentage of the cases, we see where the Bible and the parents were right all along, for that Christian young man succumbs to the stress of his wife, walks away from his faith, and then suddenly faces challenges in his marriage, and his life in general in general. Our God, who knows all things – past, present and future, has a reason for teaching us what He explains in His Word. It is imperative that we note that God didn’t have His instructions documented to make us miserable and unhappy, but instead He wanted us to be a successful follower, obedient to His plan for our lives, while spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ through every thought, word and action. God designed us, so He knows how we tick, and He knows how we will react to circumstances that we face. That’s how it was with the Israelites. God meticulously brought them out of slavery in Egypt, through the harshness of the desert, while taking excellent, loving, care of over a million of them. This took over 40 years, so if you suspect that God didn’t know them before, let me assure you that He knew all about them after their desert journey, for He saw their reaction to the good times, the challenges and the successes. He saw them fail in recognizing the Hand that fed them, protected, cared for and loved on them. So, God knew that they were not leaders, but instead needed an environment that helped them achieve success in living a life dedicated to the Lord. Meanwhile, God also knew about the Canaanites, and He knew that they would just add to the bad habits and misery of a people group already in a slump. In verse 39 it was obvious that the world witnessed the increasing unholiness of the Israelites who disobeys God. Their unholiness and unfaithfulness to Almighty God had reached an all-time, disappointing high. I know, friend, they’re only human – that’s what we tend to say when we fail. But the Israelites, and those of us who are committed to the lordship of Jesus Christ, are servants of the ‘Great I Am’, the Creator of this universe, the God who sees all things, knows all things and will bless us with all things that we need. We have so much to gain by listening to, and following in full obedience, to our awesome God! Will you commit to Him today? Please learn from the story of the Israelites and allow their failures to teach you the importance of not only accepting Jesus as Lord, but also following Him in obedience to His Word. Jesus loves you, my friend!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God has a plan for us that will not only be for our benefit, and for His glory, but also one that will prepare us for eternity in Heaven with Him. Glory to God in the highest!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank You for blessing the Israelites in so many wonderful ways and for guiding them on a path that would have led to their faithfulness and commitment to honor Your will for them. Thank God, You still do the same thing for us. I feel tremendously blessed in being led by You today! Please help my readers, listeners and I to stay in close communion with You, to listen and obey Your commands put in place so that we might be obedient and holy. You designed us, created us, direct our path, and You have a plan for our eternity. Thank You Lord for Your mercies on us. Thank You Lord for loving us enough to care about our past, present and future. Oh, that we would remain faithful and true until the day You call us home. AMEN!